III: Mountain Masquerade | Summer

Iaurdagnire's picture


I | II | III


[ This is the third installment of Dag's encounter with Summer than changed the nature of his future. ]

Maturity Waring: Contains blood, violence and swearing.

You know the drill: Press play and read along.



























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































"... I-I knew you had it in you."
Blood runs rivers from the Irish Elk, the bear skull no longer hiding his face; cracked and broken, sprinkled across the desolate earth. Iaurdagnire stands over him, body heaving with every rasped breath. A mixture of blood and foam drips from his mouth, yet the minutes that passed seemed silent to them. They stare at each other, and their angered faces grow soft in a mixture of relief and... the most deepest of sorrows. Both are at a loss of what to say, what to do. It had happened. It was done. That inevitable loss of life for another one's gain.

It may have been Iaurdagnire's life that had been taken for centuries before, but today it was Summer's that would be extinguished.
One of the four masters of him.
One of the four of his captures.
One of the four of his wolves that chase him from his dawn and till his dusk.
One of the four he has conquered.

Many would feel like that of a God for what he has done.

Many, but not him.

"... You were my friend... My friend..."
His voice is weak, gurgling; the taste of iron. Flies already begin to gather on the only just breathing carcass. His eyes are open, and they begin to roll back but stop. The world stays still, and time slows. There is a choke of blood, and the dying stag's mouth remains agape and chatters. His body convulses for but a moment...




.. "I lied."



And then he is gone.



Dag's body quivers as he watches Summer's name fade, then finds the light of his as it reappears above his head.
"No... N-No, what have I done."
Tears. Weakness. Terror.
"L-Lied? What do you mean, Summer... Summer!"
A strike from his antlers. Madness. Flies scatter.
"I've killed him... I've killed my friend... my brother..."
A roar of anguish. He collapses.
Guilt. Remorse.
Iaurdagnire lays in his conquest's blood and lets his body succumb to the exhaustion of his relentless crusade, cradling Summer's head with the bridge of his nose.

"What have you done."

A voice whispers from beyond the dark, but Dag is not interested. If it is one the creatures left to destroy, then let it come. He doesn't care. Doesn't care for what really is two gargantuan deer standing behind him.

One is red, the other is gold.

"This was never meant to happen... Neither of you were ever meant to get this far."
Dag is intrigued by this admittance. He knows now that the two speaking are in fact the Gods of the forest. Ordinarily, he would get up and face them out of respect. But no. He closes his eyes and remains with the body of his friend.
"You gave them me as a "gift". I killed him. I killed Summer. I am free now... leave me alone."

"You arrogant fool."

Dag's ear snap back. The rage of battle still lingered,
"Fool? Fool? What was I meant to do. There was never a plan, one way or another I would die because of them. Because of him... I had no choice. It's over. It's all over."
The Red grew brighter and edged closer.
"Summer was never meant to die. In his death you have signed the other Seasons to their doom... Without them, you have forsaken your kind. You have forsaken this forest."
Dag's eyes clench hearing The Red's angry words. He stands, growling through the pain of the wounds Summer had inflicted upon him. It takes some time for him to find the strength to turn and face them, but he does, and his expression is that of utter disgust and damnation.
"You."
Spat a war-fresh voice that is vile and thick with hatred,
"You are the ones who forsook me from the very beginning. You dare say I have done wrong."

The Gods do not incise the brute standing before them. Instead their expressions are stern, unreadable, however their colours dim and brighten with emotion; the strongest fluxations leap from the body like granules on the surface of the sun.
"We made a mistake that cannot be corrected. Your past lives have been non the wiser to your purpose... you have taught the Seasons well."
"Too well. It began as a simpletons pondering about our living creatures, but you gave them your personalities. A way of thinking; a desire for more due to new-found intelligence."
"We were afraid such a day would come where the most advanced of our servants, Summer, would fail. In his physical death, your freedom is only secured in the forthcoming failure of the others to perform their duty."
"... H-He did lie... I-I'm not free..."
"The Seasons cannot function without each other. Remove Summer, and the rest will follow. They will fail in their purpose and die, and without them the forest we created is lost."
"Life depends on the Seasons, Iaurdagnire."

Throughout their speech, Dag's head sinks lower and lower. This is it. He had given up; everything that had happened during the past year was worth nothing. He expects he is to be killed for this murder. For killing what should have remained impossible if not for their own greed.

"...We wish to make a bargain with you. For your freedom."

"A bargain..."
Any interest or enthusiasm for alternatives has been bled dry. His tired, listless voice sways in the stale air, just as his body does with the weight of the world mapped all over his face.
"What... What bargain... There is no bargain... Don't you understand? Don't any of you get it?"
Such a sudden assault rendered the Gods silent.
"Freedom. Freedom in the general sense, do you think that is what I want? I already have it! What is it you think - you think this is all because I am afraid to die? I am afraid of nothing. Not you, not them, not death."
His posture stiffens. The affirmation of his words is now carried in the way he is standing; he faces them with an aura that cannot be dominated. A Fortress in his own right.

"Deer die all the time. They do. And you know what happens? They linger as ghosts, or even come back from the dead because they cannot let go of this place. Death is an illusion of choice in this world, but me? Because of you - because of them - I have no choice. Whether I remember past lives or not, it is the thought of me being tossed around in era's past present and future for someone else's game that I cannot stand. I want to be the master of my own destiny, not hounded by those who wish to dictate it."

"If and when I die, I don't want to die knowing that at some other time some other place, I'll be reborn again as something different. I want to grow old. I want to be the old coot telling stories under a willow of years gone by. I want to move through this forest and become part of it, slowly fade into the background like all the old do. I want to die because I have lived, and let go when there is no life left in me.
When I die... I want to die. That is all I want."


The Gods look as if they've been told off. They turn to each other, the fires of their pelts dwindling to embers. Everything seems whiter somehow.
"... Then so be it."
Dag looks at them questionably.
"Your tie to the Seasons can be broken, but you must undo what you have done."
With a heavy heart, Dag turns to look behind at the lifeless body of his friend.
"It cannot be undone. I have killed him."
The Gods say nothing. They look as if they are waiting, and they are right to. No sooner does Dag turn back to face them, his eyes widen as if he's had an epiphany.
"... My lives taught them all that they are. It is impossible for me to have taught them a mortal death."
There is a sense of urgency in his voice,
"What happens to me when I am killed by them. How is it that I can die and be reborn."
"... When a Season renders your body of no use, the name falls into the guard of our sibling God. He is the guardian of all names upon death; when any of our children die, their names fall into his possession. But he can never possess yours - he is simply a keeper of it until the Seasons wish it to be used again."
"... You're not talking about-"
"-Velocity."
Dag struggles to stop himself from falling to the ground in sheer disbelief.
"That... That sleeping oaf?!"
"Yes. And that "sleeping oaf" is who now guards Summer's name. His body will remain here, but you will need the name to allow him to exist as a Season again. Once you have done that, and righted your wrong, we will end your purpose unto them."

"... How."

"Autumn, Winter and Spring. You must vow to help them in executing their duties; they will now weaken due to the absence of their brother. If you make sure all complete their cycle and get to Summer's time, Velocity will be waiting for you. This is not to say they cannot still try and threaten to kill you... old habits die hard."
"I must promise to do as they do?"
Suddenly there is a faint source of heat coming from behind him not too dissimilar from what he felt emanating from the creatures he had slaughtered. He swings around ready to protect the body, but he finds nothing upon it... There is also no blood, no torn flesh, open wounds... Summer's body looks untouched. It is statuesque, looking neither live nor dead, and the entirety of it has taken on the blistered volcanic hues of his home; he is part of the landscape.
"What do I do when I get to Summer's time... What do I do when I Vel-"
But the Gods are no longer there.

With his name returned to him, Iaurdagnire can now walk from this devastation back to where he belongs. But he doesn't for some time. He walks. He thinks. He wonders if this, too, is just another elaborate rouse designed to keep him moving throughout eternity.

Only when he has accepted what has been asked of him does he find a way home.



Iaurdagnire's picture

About time, yes? Haha. This

About time, yes?

Haha. This took forever, mainly because of the change in storyline and the drawings (which I despise; they were drawn before I settled on Dag's design, so they're quite wrong in many ways).

Summer has been used in order to change the situation, and give me a new spin on how to form the season events so they're different for this year. It has also helped me to tie up loose ends where I felt his story had a few loopholes; which has happily let me add Velocity to plug them. Dag's story uses the players - you guys - the Gods and Seasons, so why should sleepy-face be left out? (:

I will be frank - I can't do the events forever - so this is also a way of making sure Dag's story comes to an end in the next year. I hope you enjoyed reading, and if there's any typos or what-not... I really don't care haha.

I'm going to go and have a cuppa tea (: ♥
Calinka's picture

Holy shit, that left me

Holy shit, that left me speechless! I am totally too overwhelmed to proper sort my thoughts to write something properly here.

Just... the images. Ahhhh *dies*

Oh, well, one thing:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII* Fangirl scream*

This is awesome, Dag. <3
gone's picture

HOHMYGOD. THAT. WAS. AWESO

HOHMYGOD.

THAT.

WAS.

AWESOME.

The art is beautiful...and the pictogram is so creative! And the words just absorb you right into the story. I love the plot, too, I love how you planned everything out.
Tally's picture

Lovely.. and a very creative

Lovely.. and a very creative plot as a whole. "Wrong" as they are, the art is beautiful and I adore every bit of it.

i am speechless right

i am speechless right now.

...plain amazing....

i know this line does not cover the amazingness of this, but... well i am speechless |D wow.
Iaurdagnire's picture

HOSHIT. I forgot: Ravyn did

HOSHIT. I forgot:
Ravyn did the screenshot edit at the bottom as a gift, and I asked if I could use it to end it (:

Thank you Ravyn ♥!
Pegasicorn's picture

*awed voice* Whoa. That's all

*awed voice* Whoa.
That's all I can think of to say.
Munkel's picture

You've blown my mind with

You've blown my mind with those amazing drawings and the writing ffffdsjk
Can't think about what I could say, it's just overwhelming and I loved every bit of it ♥
Snowsauria's picture

Wow, this is really, really

Wow, this is really, really amazing. <3
Sleepything's picture

Wow. It's totally unfair how

Wow.
It's totally unfair how awesome and talented you are. ;n;
Everything in this is just done so beautifully and I especially love how you included the Gods and Velocity in his story.
I also really adore how all those pictos shape into Dag's.

You're incredible, this is incredible. I'm in awe. ♥

adorable art by Tuoho! ♥
quadraptor's picture

Astounding! I'm speechless

Astounding! I'm speechless as well!

Quad sends post-fight nuzzles, too.
Starling's picture

Ahh, I loved reading this.

Ahh, I loved reading this. Your artwork helps make it even more intense and I like how you blurred the antlers and such.
You are by far one of my favourite writers.. <33
Verycrazygirl's picture

Incredible, magnificent,

Incredible, magnificent, breathtaking. I am in awe.

Angry-Dag is scary enough... This was terrifying in a way.
I loved both the styles too, the song then the story and how you presented it. That pictogram of pictograms was really awesome, but my favourite part would have to be the illustrations, they came out fantastic! <3

Thank you for sharing this story with us again. <3

Hraeth's picture

That was pretty much

That was pretty much incredibly amazing. :B
I was completely sucked in. Kudos to you, Daggers. o3o
Spyrre's picture

Awesome, I had already waited

Awesome, I had already waited this last bit... <3
Very dramatic story, but it didn´t feel overdone, I really loved reading it. And the music and pictures in the beginning were too wonderful. <3<3
Fincayra's picture

That was mind blowing. ;^;

That was mind blowing. ;^; *faint*
Kaoori's picture

awesome as always.

awesome as always.
Iaurdagnire's picture

Calinka - Thank you so much,

Calinka - Thank you so much, only the best for my number 1 Dag-fan (; haha
Celeste - Gah I'm so glad the plot was follow...able. It took a while for me to get it straight in my head.
Tally - Thank you (:
Alice - ZZT. Thank you ♥
Pega - Haha thank you =D
Munkel - D: *glues mind back together* ♥
Snow - Thanks! <3
Sleepything - Awh that's so sweet, thank you. The pictogram was probably my favourite part to do out of this actually!
Quad - Hehe thank you (:
Starling - Goshidy gosh, there are far better writers on here than me! But thank you all the same Custard-cream (that's all I thought about whenever I saw your old screen name). I'm just happy my writing is digestible <3
Vee - Thank you, it was different to the others because I couldn't rely on a song to get across what had taken place.
Hrae - Thank you dear :B <3
Spyrre - Ah that is good to hear. I think if it were all writing, I could have easily overdone the fight scene and dragged it out unnecessarily. This is the one time I feel thankful for a truly emoriffic song to portray such a thing, haha <3
Fin - Noooooo ;^;
Kaoori - ... Hooky-hook \.D.¬

I'm astonished so many sat down to read this actually. I personally crawl under my desk when faced with so much to read... I have a short attention span it seems. ♥ Thank you everyone for your patience.


Jesus... I just went through

Jesus... I just went through all three. It might sound dumb but the thing I like most about your character is that he can be dark and frightening for an actual reason and not just for the sake of it. He's so different and original from the usual.

You're very clever and I'm quite jealous. <:

Seele's picture

Wooow, definitly amazing and

Wooow, definitly amazing and I'm glad it distracted me from my homework! ♥
Your work on this is just whoa o_o Love the poses, the whole feel of this. And very clever work with all the pictograms!
Dag's story is incredible, you put so much work into it! <3
Haru's picture

This was amazing! &hearts;

This was amazing! ♥ Seems like things are starting to get very interesting now, I can't wait to see how the rest of Dag's story will play out :3
Firefli's picture

You had me at the edge of my

You had me at the edge of my seat the entire time, with chills of course <3
Beautifully amazing
Reyy's picture

I want to say so much but I

I want to say so much but I feel like there are too many thoughts inside of my head to be able to write individual things, so I'll go ahead and state the obvious:

This is truly a masterpiece. Absolutely a work of art.
Iaurdagnire's picture

Aux McHootington - That means

Aux McHootington - That means a lot. Thank you very much (:
Mis - Yay distraction! I'm glad it served a purpose? Haha, thank you dear <3
Haru - ♥ You and me both XD'
Firefli - Awh thank you <3 lol I bet Dag's changed a bit since Oseaan last saw him |D'
Ravyn - Oh you *shoves camply* Haha XD Thank you ♥
Firefli's picture

Heheh, he really has. But in

Heheh, he really has. But in a wonderful, experienced way <3

ah I love this I loved all

ah

I love this

I loved all the ones I saw

This account is a biography holder. Nothing more.
OokamiAzura's picture

I love how you used the

I love how you used the pictograms to make Dag's pictogram. (:

This whole thing was amazing. The art, the text, it just...fksfskfs

It all feels kinda surreal to be honest.

Hnn...&hearts ;;
Iaurdagnire's picture

Vandettta - Thank you so much

Vandettta - Thank you so much ^^
Azura - Surreal? I guess you're right... maybe because it isn't a present thing that's happened. I think if I posted this at the time like the others it would have been even better, but can't have it all! (;
shaku's picture

This is... most inspiring...

This is... most inspiring... ♥
I hope someday I can create something of this magnitude. Maybe not here, but somewhere.

Absolutely stunning~

Iaurdagnire's picture

Your signature alone

Your signature alone out-weighs this shaku ;P I love your art to pieces. You can create something bigger and better I'm sure and I will be the first to roll in its glory <3
shaku's picture

Dag, you're the sweetest

Dag, you're the sweetest thing ever XD But this requires patience, persistence, and skill that I simply don't possess right now ♥

Starling's picture

This was amazinggg as usual.

This was amazinggg as usual. I wish I had the patience to make something like this.
I love reading these. It's a shame to know they won't go on forever. Nice job <3

Oh and the drawings are amazing. I like the blurred effect of the movement and all...
Iaurdagnire's picture

Thank you for taking the

Thank you for taking the time, Starling (: The blurred movement was done with the motion blur filter. I duplicate the bits I want to show moving on a new layer, and blur them at the correct angles separately.

Wow, this was made in October. Time flies. fufufufu.